


Can't Get Worse

by Zappy



Series: Crimson Spade [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 16:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7691422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zappy/pseuds/Zappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>June 10th Year One - Gotham<br/>Red Hood's year isn't going well, and the hits just keep on coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't Get Worse

**Author's Note:**

> You should be warned now that most of Crimson Spade, Hood spends either in pain or about to be.

Earth 696 – Red Hood’s Apartment

                Hunting crooks with the Bat would never get boring. Of this Red Hood was 100% certain. He’d only been running with the Dark Knight for a few months, but he had a feeling deep in his very bones that this was his life’s meaning. Pesky things like knowing someone’s “real” name or going out for coffee were trivial and in the grand scheme of things didn’t let you really get to know a person. The person they were in the dead of night, the choices they made when fighting. That is what Red Hood put his faith in.

                In this world, in _Gotham_ , for Red Hood his mask was the one he put on when he took his helmet off. It took massive supplies of concealer and patience to make his skin look human and he’d completely given up dyeing his hair. Every color washed out too easily so he’d just started wearing a wig when he absolutely had to leave his apartment. It all accumulated him becoming a functioning recluse.

                Red Hood looked out the window and sighed as he thought of his abysmal social life. In the past seven months he’d spoken (in a non-threatening manner) to only four people. Batsy was of course one of those four, one was his tailor who had had to patch up his cape again (he wondered if his tailor thought he had a particularly aggressive and kinky sex life), another was the mob doctor he’d gone to on the night of The Incident, and the last was the cashier clerk who’d checked out this month’s groceries.

                He could probably live with that, if he got to see Batman more than _maybe_ every week. Gotham was a large place, and it seemed was infested with low life criminals who all could have the Bat’s attention. It was hard to pick a direction and there was no sure fire way of knowing if the Bat would be in the area.

                _There’s a way to make sure you see him… make yourself a target and he’ll never take his eyes off you~_

                Red Hood ground his teeth until it hurt. He hated that voice inside his head. The one that laughed too much and said such tempting things. He was a _hero_ \- one that Batman didn’t mind fighting alongside. He wouldn’t give up Batman’s respect just for his attention.

                “It’s not like I could _do_ anything with the attention anyway, so _shut up_.” Hood snarled at himself and glared at his faint reflection in the window. “After all… It’s not like I could ever show Batsy my face. He’s too smart… he’d even see past the make-up.”

                Hood leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting out a tired breath. It was almost dark, he’d better suit up. Every chance to see the Bat was a chance worth taking…

~~

                Ducking from a punch, Red Hood wondered if it was just not his night. Sure he found a small group of thugs, who thought they’d do some jewelry shopping using the five-fingered discount, but it was already almost two in the morning and he’d not caught a single sighting of his Bat.

                “Now, now boys- I’m sure you have very honorable reasons for taking these, like proposing to your soul mate. But I really ought to protest- diamonds may be forever but it’s no replacement for honest affection and love!” He punctuated his speech by throwing two of his new metal spade-blades at the men holding bags of stolen gems.

                “Don’ know what youz talkin’ ‘bout freak, but youz should mind ya own business!” one of the thugs shouted at him, pulling back his fist wearing brass knuckles. Red Hood spun and used his cape to absorb the blow, then swung his leg out to kick the man in his stomach. The man stumbled back and Hood had just drawn another spade-blade to throw at the one making for the door when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

                A baseball bat made impact with his head with a loud thwack, cracking his helmet severely. Head ringing and disoriented, Red Hood stumbled back and almost lost his balance. He clutched the side of his helmet, trying to relieve his head ache.

                “Uhhg…” he groaned.

                The thief gave a harsh kick to his back, causing Red Hood to topple over and land head first onto the ground. His helmet shattered in two from the impact, sharp red edges digging into his face painfully.

                “Heh. Who’s talkin’ now ya red ca-ARH!” The thief’s words were cut off as a batarang flew at his head.

                “Hood! Are you alright?” Batman’s voice called over from where he’d crouched low near the entrance. Red Hood felt completely horrified.

                _No! He can’t see me like this!_

                Thinking fast, Hood brought his arms up over his head, attempting to use them to cover as much of his face and head as he possibly could. In his fear he closed his eyes and his arms dug his face deeper into the edge of his broken helmet. Realizing his action could cause Batman to come closer to investigate, he tried to call out with as little shake to his voice as he could manage.

                “I-I’m fine, just go after the robbers!”

                Batman briefly shot Red Hood a glance, a slight frown to his features giving away his concerns. Regardless, he took off after the fleeing thieves, trusting Red Hood’s word… at least for the moment.

~~

                Dragging his feet, Red Hood climbed through the window and into his living room. With a burst of energy that was made up from his frustration more than anything else, he threw the top half of his broken helmet. It slammed into the wall and left a small dent in it. Hood felt like he could scream.

                “Fuck. I’m going to have to pay for that.” Running his gloved fingers through his green hair he tossed his head side to side, ignoring the pain radiating from his cheeks caused by the action. Finally realizing he still had the bottom broken half of the helmet on, he swiftly pulled it over his head as well as his cape.

                Dropping them both unceremoniously he headed towards his bathroom with trepidation. He hated looking at his reflection, but there was no other option right now. Just before entering he closed his eyes, trying to put it off as long as he could. He leaned against his sink heavily and hung his head.

                “It can’t be worse than it already is, Hoody. Just breathe, it can’t be worse.” He told himself as he took deep breaths. Finally opening his eyes he slowly brought his head up to look at his face.

                It was worse.

                _Nah it’s not! It just looks like you’re smiling!_

                It was **worse**.

                For a long minute he just stared at the blood dribbling down the cuts in his cheeks. It really did look like he was smiling…

                “Heh… heh heh heh…” Hood let out a soft noise that he wasn’t sure if it was a chuckle or a dry sob. He’d settle for calling it a humorless huff. Silent tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them fall. Harshly wiping his hand across his face, he let out a bitter hiss at the pain, he gathered up his willpower.

                He would not let this destroy him any more than he was already broken. Gathering a needle and thread, he started to sew his cheeks back together. Oh it’d scar… very badly. But it wasn’t like he wasn’t _already_ hiding his face. It was better than being even further indebted to the mob’s doctors.

                When he was finally finished, he let himself sob dryly for an hour. But only an hour.


End file.
